Lil

It didn't take much to convince the landlord of the inn on Saltergate, at that time known as the Wagon and Horses, to help stage the salt smuggling operation.

Legend says that the salt was packed into the very walls of the inn to keep it dry and hidden, but they needed some way of letting the crew transporting the illicit goods know if they were safe to approach or warn them to stay away if the dreaded excise officers decided to visit.

Legend says that the salt was packed into the very walls of the inn to keep it dry and hidden, but they needed some way of letting the crew transporting the illicit goods know if they were safe to approach or warn them to stay away if the dreaded excise officers decided to visit.

As the illegal trade was, of course, carried out under cover of darkness, this was simply achieved by the lighting of a lamp in one of the windows to warn smugglers of the presence of the excisemen. If there was no lamp in the window, then it was safe to approach.

As the illegal trade was, of course, carried out under cover of darkness, this was simply achieved by the lighting of a lamp in one of the windows to warn smugglers of the presence of the excisemen. If there was no lamp in the window, then it was safe to approach.

Well, one night, a smuggling crew transporting salt across the moors from the harbour checked for the flickering of the warning light in the window of the whitewashed coaching inn and, happily, found that there was none to be seen.

Well, one night, a smuggling crew transporting salt across the moors from the harbour checked for the flickering of the warning light in the window of the whitewashed coaching inn and, happily, found that there was none to be seen.

Pleased that they wouldn't have to hide out on the dark, damp moorland awaiting the all-clear, and with the warming prospect of food and ale ahead of them, they bore their illicit cargo to the inn and safety. Or so they thought. But unbeknownst to them, unbeknownst to anyone in the inn either, an excise officer had, in fact, infiltrated the Salters Gate.

Pleased that they wouldn't have to hide out on the dark, damp moorland awaiting the all-clear, and with the warming prospect of food and ale ahead of them, they bore their illicit cargo to the inn and safety. Or so they thought. But unbeknownst to them, unbeknownst to anyone in the inn either, an excise officer had, in fact, infiltrated the Salters Gate.

No candle was burning because no one was aware. But when the smugglers opened their precious cargo, the officer made himself known and the game was up. The crew were distraught. Getting caught smuggling came with a heavy penalty. The ultimate punishment, in fact. Death. Caught completely off guard, the crew thought their days were numbered until... Whack.

No candle was burning because no one was aware. But when the smugglers opened their precious cargo, the officer made himself known and the game was up. The crew were distraught. Getting caught smuggling came with a heavy penalty. The ultimate punishment, in fact. Death. Caught completely off guard, the crew thought their days were numbered until... Whack.

The landlord, feeling that there was nothing left to lose at this point, managed to creep up on the excise man and attack him from behind, felling him dead in one swift blow. But now they had to cover up their terrible crime, and they did so by interring the officer's body underneath the huge heavy slabs of the inn's fireplace.

The landlord, feeling that there was nothing left to lose at this point, managed to creep up on the excise man and attack him from behind, felling him dead in one swift blow. But now they had to cover up their terrible crime, and they did so by interring the officer's body underneath the huge heavy slabs of the inn's fireplace.

Somewhere, they reckoned, nobody would think to look, especially if they always kept the fire burning. And so the landlord and the smugglers made a pact to carry the terrible deed to their own graves and to never, ever let the fire in the fireplace of the Saltersgate Inn go out.

Somewhere, they reckoned, nobody would think to look, especially if they always kept the fire burning. And so the landlord and the smugglers made a pact to carry the terrible deed to their own graves and to never, ever let the fire in the fireplace of the Saltersgate Inn go out.

But they believed that if they did, the ghost of the excise officer would rise up from his untimely grave and take revenge for his murder, cursing the inn and bringing ill fortune to the villages all around. Legend tells that they and generations of landlords that came after did exactly that, and that the fire in the Saltersgate Inn burned for over 200 years, keeping the vengeful ghost at bay.

But they believed that if they did, the ghost of the excise officer would rise up from his untimely grave and take revenge for his murder, cursing the inn and bringing ill fortune to the villages all around. Legend tells that they and generations of landlords that came after did exactly that, and that the fire in the Saltersgate Inn burned for over 200 years, keeping the vengeful ghost at bay.

But despite their work to keep that particular ghost contained, rumours of other hauntings within the inn have emerged over the years. In recent decades, staff have reported seeing objects inexplicably fly through the air, including one employee in the 1970s, who saw a bowl float right past her.

But despite their work to keep that particular ghost contained, rumours of other hauntings within the inn have emerged over the years. In recent decades, staff have reported seeing objects inexplicably fly through the air, including one employee in the 1970s, who saw a bowl float right past her.

Doors were found to lock and unlock themselves when the building was empty except for a single perplexed member of staff and pub regulars told of seeing apparitions walk through the walls. Maybe the strangest sighting, though, came from a local who was surprised one day to see, out of the inn's window, a child alone on the moors.